The invention relates to a spring-loaded catch (10) for a sliding door (12) of a machine casing (18) which door is preferably reeinforced on at least one side by a sheet metal fold (14) or a rectangular hollow profile. The spring-loaded catch comprises a handle (20) which is mounted in a pivoting manner on the reinforced side of the sliding door (12) and which cooperates with a latch bolt device (30), as well as a retaining device (26) which is mounted on or housed inside a door frame (18) or in a shaped section which delimits an opening in the machine casing for the purpose of receiving the latch bolt (30) when the door is closed. According to the invention the handle (20) comprises a bar (32) which at its ends extends around a swivel pin (22) parallel to the reinforced side of the door leaf (12) and positioned behind the door leaf or within the sheet metal fold or hollow profile. The ends (34, 36) of said bar are both fixed in a support (40, 38) and at least one of these two supports (for example, 40) is coupled to a hook (30) with free travel (50, 52) which is mounted in a pivoting manner coaxially to the swivel pin and forms the locking latch.